A female suicide bomber attacked a paramilitary convoy in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Monday, killing at least one soldier and injuring four others, according to the Pakistani military. The attack occurred near Kalat on a national highway and targeted the vehicle of a senior officer, who was unharmed.
No group has claimed responsibility, but suspicion has fallen on the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), which has increasingly used female operatives in its attacks. The group, which has been waging a separatist insurgency for decades, opposes the Pakistani government and foreign investments in Balochistan, particularly those linked to China.
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The use of female suicide bombers remains rare in Pakistan but has become part of the BLA’s evolving tactics. In April 2022, a female suicide bomber attacked the Confucius Institute at Karachi University, killing three Chinese nationals and a Pakistani driver. The shift is seen as both an operational adaptation to heightened security and a propaganda effort.
Security agencies have tried to prevent such attacks. In June 2024, Pakistani forces rescued Adeela Khudabaksh Baloch, a nurse allegedly recruited by Baloch separatists to carry out a suicide bombing. Speaking on state television, she recounted her experience: “Tragically, I fell under the influence of individuals who manipulated me into agreeing to carry out a suicide attack. I never stopped to think about the countless innocent lives that would have been lost.”
Balochistan, rich in natural resources, has been the site of frequent violence against security personnel, laborers, and foreign nationals. The Pakistani military continues counterinsurgency operations in the region as separatist attacks persist.